(Revised
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Subjects:
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Stories should be news
about women's actions or views on world events -- and must be of
international interest. Frequent topics include: women & human
rights, the environment, law, politics, labor, economics, international
relations, grassroots organizing, and technology. WINGS
doesn't use essays, editorials, publicity pieces, or self-help
features. |
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What
To Tape: |
The heart of a WINGS story is women
speaking for themselves, We want
well-recorded, intelligent, passionate statements. Crowd sound, music
from the event, etc. are a plus. |
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Program
Formats: |
WINGS distributes a weekly half-hour radio program. The content should be about 28 minutes long. You may submit a full half-hour on current
affairs, or a shorter piece (up to 7 minutes) for inclusion in a
newscast-format program. 1. Newscasts normally
contain 5 stories, each from 3 to 6-1/2 minutes long. 2. Current affairs
programs may be documentaries, speeches, extended interviews,
conference coverage, or, rarely, topical audio art. (Final cut from
content providers should be 28 minutes.) |
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Editing
Formats: |
Items specially produced for WINGS are
wonderful. However, WINGS does not require an exclusive, and willingly
adapts items for our use from previously aired material. If the
material is really compelling, we may do a final mix from your
segments, produce a story from your rough edit, or (when time permits)
edit a story or program from your raw tape. Please send written or
printed material with your story in any case, including names of
participants properly spelled, credits, and recording dates. |
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Selection
Criteria: |
Criteria include sound quality;
timeliness; geographic diversity, originality of subject matter;
usefulness, quality and novelty of information or ideas; and
international importance. The story needs to be of interest in |
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Reporters:
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WINGS is especially but not exclusively
interested in women reporters based outside the |
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Pay:
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Pay is only for material actually used
in WINGS programs. We pay for non-exclusive one-time use of your audio.
Amounts vary depending on length used, and whether your material is
unedited or substantially edited. All
figures are in US dollars, though Canadians may receive payment in the
current Canadian equivalent of their fees. FOR ITEMS IN THE NEWSCAST: Use of raw
tape: $40 per story if tape originates in If your news story is edited by you
(as opposed to by WINGS), add $60 (for a total of $100 or $105).
FOR 1/2-HOURS (or series of
half-hours): Royalty for use of your tape in a half-hour WINGS program
is currently a flat rate of $143.82 that comes from a combination of
station payments and grant funding. There
is an additional fee of $60 if the program is substantially edited –
totaling $203.82 (Originally, the
royalty was based on 50% of net from station subscriptions, but these days there is no net, so we stabilized the
payments at the 2003 level until such time as revenues increase.) |
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Contacts: |
Pitches,
questions and feedback can be directed to the editor by email: wingsproducers@yahoo.com
– or, telephone (604) 876-6994
or Toll Free (U.S & Canada only) 1-866-789-4647
(866-78W-INGS). |
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Scripting/Cuts:
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Women (preferably from the regions
covered) speaking for themselves are the focus of WINGS stories. We prefer to have women from the regions
covered speaking for themselves, rather than women from developed
countries speaking for or about women in other countries. Narration should preferably be
factual, non-judgmental, & brief. Lead usually relates story to
current events. We like outcue to mention
WINGS, e.g.: "For WINGS, this is Lana Langue in |
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Editing:
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Stories you send to WINGS may be
edited by staff. Usually this is done for time, to avoid bad sound,
tighten the focus, or eliminate editorializing in scripts. Please
listen for problems in your own work - especially the temptation to use
that great line from an interview that can't quite be understood the
first time you hear it - remember, the radio listener only hears it
once (usually over traffic, noise, or kids' screaming)! |
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Technical
Formats (we accept most of them): |
Please submit your audio in monaural. Most producers today send us mp3 files
via ftp. It is very desirable that for
mp3s you use a sampling rate higher than 64 kbps (so that we can
convert to 44,100 mhz 16-bit .wav without
additional loss of sound quality). We use
112 kbps for distribution. If you want to
ftp, please email wingsproducers@yahoo.com for
directions. WINGS also accepts submissions by mail.
In order of preference: a data CD with a mono .wav file on
it; a minidisk
or hi-md; a cassette. In some cases, we are willing to make
an analog recording from archived audio on a streaming site, or as a
last resort to record the story over the telephone. |
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Sending
Recordings in the mail: |
CDs or other media sent through the
mail must be labeled with the producer's name and contact information
on the disc or cassette. Enclose a
description including all credits. Be sure your package wrapping is
strong enough to hold the material, and well enough padded to protect
it. (We've seen cracked CDs and crushed cassettes here.) Mail to our |
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Returns:
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WINGS retains tapes we receive but have not yet
used, for future use and follow-up. After the material is used, or if
it clearly is not to be used, tapes normally go to the WINGS radio
archive at The Center for American History, |
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Equipment:
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Tape for WINGS should be recorded with
a professional-quality recorder & microphone. WINGS
is happy to advise you or to refer you for advice on equipment
choices. Voice recorders and used for
dictation seldom make very good recordings for broadcast – especially
if you don’t use an external microphone. Mini-disk
recorders are very popular for reporters now, and less expensive than
the new flash-card recorders and internal hard-drive recorders. Often you can record straight into a laptop
computer, as well. One place to look for reviews of
equipment is www.transom.org. |
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Checklist
Of Things To Carry When You Go To Record: |
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Tape/other
recording media: |
If you're using a cassette recorder,
don't choose High Bias tape (usually the most expensive) unless you
have a High Bias setting on your machine. Using High Bias tape in a
Normal Bias recorder gives terrible tape hiss. If you're using mini-disk, be sure to open the
tiny white plastic slide tab on the edge of it after you record.
Accidental erasure can be a problem with this medium.
If you’re sending a CD, duplicating at
too high a speed can cause problems. Listen
back to your recording before entrusting it to the mails. |
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Tips
For Good Recording: |
1. Sound Levels.
Digital media such as mini-disk and CD: If you record at too hot a level on
these machines, you get horrible noise on the peaks and it can't be
corrected. Check your dubs if you're in doubt.
Cassettes: If you record at too low a level,
tape hiss can overwhelm your recording. A good average may be about -3
on your meter. Women's voices need to be recorded higher than men's -
needle can go into red for most women without distorting. 2. Microphones and mic handling. If you're using an omnidirectional mic
(omni) like the old standard Electrovoice
635A, be sure to hold it close enough to the subject's mouth (about 4
inches), and at the corner of the mouth to avoid p-pops.
A favorite cardioid (somewhat
directional) mic of ours is the Shure SM-58, a popular singer's and TV
reporter's mic. It can be positioned even
2 or 3 feet away, if pointed at the speaker. It has a built-in
windscreen and minimizes p-pops. It also minimizes noise from the side
(could be crowd sound, other room noise).
Your hand on the microphone
can make noise - hold it carefully and don't let the subject hold the mic herself. A
loose connection between
the cable and mic or the mic and recorder can also add noises. Background noise can be a very serious problem that
can make your on-the-spot interview unusable. Listen through your headphones before you start,
because mics amplify noise. If necessary,
move to get away from traffic, footsteps, doors opening, compressors. Turn off air conditioners if you
can. If you can't find a quiet place, turn your subject so your mic is pointed away from the noise source, keep
it close to the subject's mouth, or try pointing the mic down to your subject's mouth from slightly
above, so that the subject's body is blocking and absorbing reflected
sound. Noise bouncing off hard surfaces can also ruin your tape. An echo-y
room (whether a cathedral or a ballroom) is bad to record in, and so is
being near a large window or a hard wall or big hard table surface.
Listen through the headphones. Try to point both your subject and your mic toward a surface that doesn't bounce sound.
Try pointing the mic down toward the mouth
from above, using the subject's body to help block sound.
3. Recording Speeches:
You can't get
good sound by sitting shyly in the audience. Your mic has to be properly placed or you've wasted
your time. You're the press, so ask permission to record and set up
early. A good method is to tape a small mic
to the podium mic (make sure speakers will
use that mic!). Don't lay your mic down on a table to record - sound will
bounce. If you lack a mic stand, prop your
mic up to point toward the
speaker. Plugging Into A Sound System: Listen through headphones - many
systems have a bad hum, especially in older hotels. Be sure you know
whether the output of the mixer is mic or
line level and use the correct port on your recorder. As a last resort
at an event, hold your mic near a
loudspeaker. If you are unsure of the quality of your recording of
a speech, ask for an interview afterwards. ***DON'T FORGET TO RELEASE YOUR
"PAUSE" BUTTON!*** |
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Do
Your Best: |
WINGS reaches an estimated 100 to 140 radio
stations via CD, satellite, and internet. Listeners depend on you to
report what women are doing and saying in your part of the world, and
they care very much about your reports. Be honest and factual and let
the tape you use convey the women's feelings and attitudes, as well as
their ideas. Your work makes a difference and is truly
appreciated. Thank you. |